Taximeters



June 4, 1968 s. H. WALLQVIST 3,386,651

TAXIMETERS Filed Jan. l7, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

June 1968 s. H. WALLQVIST 3,

TAXIMETERS Filed Jan. 17, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent M 3,386,651 TAXIMETERS Sven Hakan Wallqvist, Halmstad, Sweden, assignor to Haldex Aktiebolag, Halmstad, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed Jan. 17, 1967, Ser. No. 609,860

Claims priority, application Sweden, May 4, 1966,

2 Claims. (Cl. 235-30) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A taximeter having fare-indicating and setting mechanism actuated manually or automatically under control of sensing means which sense the presence of passengers in the taxicabs seats. The sensing means actuate the faresetting mechanism after a time delay set by time delay means in control circuitry of the mechanism.

It often happens that taxicab drivers forget to place the taximeter in operating position after picking up a passenger (fare). This is particularly true in large towns or cities where there is heavy traffic and where the attention of the taxi driver, particularly when in a hurry, is completely absorbed with negotiating the trafiic. Oversights of this type naturally means a loss in income to the owner of the taxicab. To avoid these disadvantages it is known to arrange sensing means in the passenger seats of taxis applying impulses to the taximeter, which automatically set it to a fare position when passengers seat themselves in the taxi, providing that the flag has not been moved into a manual operating condition by the taxi driver. Con structions of this kind are often such that a change to for hire position is prevented as long as the passengers are seated in the taxicab. In taximeters of hitherto known design it is, for instance, possible to place the taximeter in a for hire position direct from a hired position through a not recording position while the passengers are still seated in the taxicab and their journey is still uncompleted. The taximeter can thus be disconnected completely and as a result no record of the fare is made.

In devices of the aforementioned type the taxicab meter is immediately set into operation when the passengers seat themselves in their respective seats, or as soon as the taxicab driver puts the cab into gear when commencing to drive away his passengers. This means that the taxicab driver is given no opportunity to set the taximeter manually when commencing to drive his fare i.e. the passenger, to his destination, Such devices which automatically render the meter operative will ultimately mean that the driver of the taxicab ceases to watch the setting of the taximeter. In turn this can lead to possible failure in the automatic system which will not be immediately observed, and that readjustment of the taximeter to the correct fare, hired position, with respect to the number of passengers, will not be effected. The present invention is intended to avoid the last mentioned disadvantage.

The present invention relates to an arrangement in taximeters including a fare setting servornechanism and sensing means sensing the presence of passengers in the passenger seats. A control circuit comprising a time delay device starts the servomechanism to set the fare during operation after a delay period after passengers actuate the sensing means by their presence in the seats of the taxicab. The arrangement according to the invention allows the taxicab driver to set the taximeter to an operating condition in a conventional manner, within a predetermined time interval.

In such arrangement there is possibility of manipulating the servo motor circuit of the taximeter in order to prevent starting of the taximeter.

$386,651 Patented June 4, 1968 The present invention will be more closely described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view diagrammatically illustrating an embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention and FIG. 2 a diagram of second embodiment of the invention. The arrangements shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 relate only to those parts of the taximeter which are associated with setting the fare for hire, hired, and so on.

The operating shaft of the fare-adjusting or setting mechanism is indicated in the arrangement according to FIG. 1 by a reference numeral 10. Mounted on the shaft is a fare, for hire, hired, not recording and so on indicating drum 11 which indicates the fare set on the taximeter. Mounted on the fare indicating drum is a gear segment 12 meshing with a pinion 13. The pinion is connected to a servomotor 14 which drives the pinion 13 via a one-way coupling 15. Arranged on the gear segment 12 is a cam 16 cooperating with a pair of contacts 17. The connection and function of the pair of contacts 17 will be described later.

Arranged coaxially with the shaft 10 is a shaft 20 sup porting a disc 21 and a so-called snap action mechanism 22. The function of the snap action mechanism 22 is to transfer rotation from the shaft 20 to the shaft 10 in such a way that the shaft 10 together with the fare indicating drum 11 is brought into certain exact, discrete, angle of rotation positions which coincide with the adjustment of the taximeter. The disc 21 is provided with a number of pins 23 and a peripheral locking tooth 24. Operating slides 25 and 26 are arranged for the purpose of actuating the disc angularly when manually adjusting the fare. The slides are provided with push buttons 27 and 28 respectively, wherein movably mounted teeth 29 and 30 are arranged on the free ends of the operating slides. When manually depressing the operating slides the teeth 29 and 30 engage the pins 23 of the disc 21 so that the said disc is rotated in either direction depending upon the fare to be set or other necessary adjustments to the fare adjustment mechanism.

Arranged within the system is a solenoid 40, the armature of which actuates a pawl 41 for the ratchet tooth 24 on the disc 21. The pawl 41 is actuated or biased by a spring 42 which returns the pawl to starting position when the solenoid is de-energized. Also arranged within the system is a stop 43 which restricts the movement of the pawl 41 when in locking position. The pawl 41 cooperates with a pair of contacts 44 in such a way that the contacts close when the pawl is in locking position.

Located in the path of current to the servomotor 14 is a delay relay 45, connected in series with the pair of contacts 17 to sensing contacts 46, 47, 48, in the passenger seats of the taxicab. The last mentioned sensing contacts 46, 47, 48 are connected in a circuit 49 with the battery 50 of the taxicab in such a way that when one or more passengers are seated in the taxicab, current is closed through the circuit 49 and the solenoid 40-, which in turn actuates the pawl 41, whereby the contact pair 44 are closed and the circuit to the delay relay 45 and through the contact pair 17 is also closed.

So that the function of the arrangement will be fully clear it is assumed that the taximeter is disconnected and thus set in a no fare position, the diiferent members presumably occupying the position shown by the fully drawn lines in FIG. 1. When passengers seat themselves in the vehicle one or more contact pairs 46, 47 or 48 are closed, the solenoid 40 actuates the pawl 41 into locking position while the contact pair 44 closes to apply current to a delay relay 45. The contact pair 17 in the position shown are in a closed position. The time delay relay can be adjusted to various delay times, e.g. between 0 and seconds. If the taxicab driver has not adjusted the taximeter to an engaged fare position within the set time of the time delay by pressing in the advancing button 27, the motor 14 comes into operation when the delay interval has expired and, via the single path or one-way coupling 15 drives the pinion 13 and the gear segment 12 and the operating shaft and its associated members to a fare position. The taximeter starts to register. The angular range of the gear segment 12 is so adjusted that the driving action from the motor via the pinion 13 continues until the snap action mechanism 22 takes over and concludes the forward driving action to the exact fare position. The final phase of the movement, which is effected by the snap action mechanism, is more rapid than the movement elfected by the motor. The one way coupling thus functions without the motor 14 being actuated. In the final position the gear segment 12 occupies a position in which it is completely disconnected from the pinion 13. In the final phase of the movement, supply of current to the delay relay 4S and the motor .14 is also broken, whereby the cam 16 no longer actuates the pair of contacts 17. When adjusting the taximeter manually the advancing buttons are pressed in, the tooth 29 being moved forward one step, via the pins 23 of the disc 21, corresponding to the advancement of the operating shaft to a fare position. At the beginning of this advancing movement the pinion 13 is in engagement with the gear segment 12. Advancement can nevertheless take place unhindered and without the motor being rotated as a result of the one-way-coupling 15 coming into operation. If manual adjustment of the taximeter is completed before the termination of the delay interval the motor will not come into operation, since because the cam 16 no longer acts upon the pair of contacts '17 the circuit therebetween is broken. Due to the fact that the solenoid 40 is not actuated until one of the contacts 46-48 are closed, manual adjustment to the taximeter, via the pawl 41, through the fare positions and up to a non-fare position is not possible without the passengers leaving their seats.

At the end of his journey the cab driver manually sets the taximeter to register the amount due. This is effected by pressing in the advancing button 27. Should for some reason it be necessary to return to a fare position resetting is effected by pressing in the reset button 28. The advancing tooth 30 then functions in the manner previously described, against one of the pins 23 on the disc 21. Resetting can be effected from the fare due position to a fare position, but is locked in the reverse direction from fare position to non-fare position. Resetting to a fare-due position means that the journey has ended and that the taximeter shall be adjusted to a non-fare position. This can only be effected when the passengers or passenger has left the vehicle. Supply of current to the solenoid 40 is first [broken when one or more pairs of contacts 46, 47 or 48, which during the journey have been closed, are broken as the weight upon the seat is relieved. The pawl 41 occupies locking position with respect to the locking tooth as long as the contacts are closed and current is supplied to the solenoid 40. The dash dot position 24' of the locking tooth can be seen from FIG. 1. Movement of the disc 21 is prevented so that manual advancement to non-fare position by pressing in the advancing button 27 cannot be effected. When the supply of current to the solenoid 40 ceases the position of the armature is reset by the spring 42, so that the locking tooth 24 on the disc 21 can freely pass and resetting to a non-fare position can be effected.

The alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 2 coincides in all essential components with, that according to FIG. 1, with the exception of the magnet and pawl arrangement. In the alternative embodiment, current to the draw magnet, in this case indicated with the reference numeral 64, is closed as long as no passengers are sitting in the vehicle. The solenoid is thus in operation and the pawl 41 is retained in such a position that the locking tooth 24- of the disc 21 is free so that no locking position is apparent. A spring is arranged to draw the pawl 41 into locking position as soon as current over any of the contacts in the passenger seat, here designated by reference numerals 66- 68, is broken. As in the case of the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 1 current is in this way applied to the delay relay 45. In the alternative embodiment the contacts 66-68 must naturally be comprised of breaker contacts, i.e. contacts which break the current when acted upon and, as is shown, are connected in series.

The advantage with an arrangement according to FIG. 2 is, among other things, that possible failure of the contacts 66-68, or a break in the wiring of associating circuits, is automatically registered on the taximeter when no passengers are seated therein.

What is claimed is:

1. Ina taximeter for use in taxicabs and the like, faresetting mechanism having means comprising a control circuit controllably driving said mechanism, said control circuit comprising sensing means sensing the presence and absence of passengers in the taxicab, delay means in said control circuit delaying for a given delay period activation of said mechanism under control of said sensing means upon sensing thereby of the presence of passengers of the taxicab, said mechanism comprises a fare-indicating rotary device, said means controllably driving said mechanism comprising a rotary driven shaft driving said rotary devices and having an arcuate segment gear thereon, said segment gear having an angular extent less than an angle of rotation of said shaft for effecting a change in fare setting and indication, a pinion driven rotationally for driving said segment gear in response to said sensing means in said control circuit, and means comprising one-way coupling means operationally connecting said pinion and said sensing means, said fare-setting mechanism comprising mechanical means for manually setting said rotary device independently of said control circuit and having means mechanically actuating and driving said shaft to discrete angular positions corresponding to specific fare positions thereby to drive said rotary device to corresponding fareindicating positions.

2. In a taximeter according to claim 1, including a pair of normally open contacts in said control circuit opening said control circuit to allow said fare-setting mechanism to be set independently of said control circuit by said mechanical means, said mechanism including a cam on said segment gear actuating said contacts to a closed position during an interval in which said segment gear meshes with said pinion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,815,911 12/1957 McMullin 235-30 3,325,097 6/1967 Slutsky 235-30 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE R. FRANKLIN, Assistant Examiner. 

